How to attract barn owls to your yard
Barn Owls respond to four things: the right food, the right plants, water and safe nesting cover. Here is what each means for this particular bird, drawn from its range across 31 states and provinces.
First: is it in your area, and when?
You can only attract a bird that passes through or lives near you, so start with timing. The Barn Owl is a year-round resident in 31 states and provinces, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, British Columbia, California, Delaware and 25 more — there, a yard can host it in every season.
Plant what barn owls use
These native plants are tied to the Barn Owl in our regional plant lists (Audubon Native Plants and state sources). The count shows how many states or provinces list the plant for this bird — higher means it works across more of the range. Pick the ones native where you live.
| Plant | Type | States | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| American elderberry Sambucus canadensis | Shrub | 27 | Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species. |
| Black cherry Prunus serotina | Tree | 27 | Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees. |
| Flowering dogwood Cornus florida | Tree | 23 | Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers. |
| Serviceberry Amelanchier arborea | Tree | 23 | Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed. |
| White oak Quercus alba | Tree | 23 | Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food. |
| Spicebush Lindera benzoin | Shrub | 21 | Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants. |
| Arrowwood viburnum Viburnum dentatum | Shrub | 19 | Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover. |
| Bur oak Quercus macrocarpa | Tree | 14 | Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load. |
| New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae | Perennial | 12 | Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows. |
| Tall goldenrod Solidago altissima | Perennial | 12 | Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter. |
Your list covers 3 plant layers (shrub, tree, perennial). Layering matters: mixing shrub, tree, perennial gives barn owls food, perches and cover at different heights. Leave seed heads and fruit standing into winter instead of cutting back in fall.
Offer the food it actually eats
Voles and mice, located by hearing alone.
- Warm months
- Voles, mice, rats and shrews
- Cold months
- Voles and rats
- At feeders
- None — a large barn-owl box on a pole or barn is the draw
Feeder style matters as much as food: shallow bird bath (1–2 in deep) is the first choice for this bird. The best rodent control a farm can have; a single family takes thousands of voles a year. Feeder guide →
Give it a place to nest
Natural site: Barn lofts, silos, tree cavities and large nest boxes.
The Barn Owl uses nest boxes with a 6 in entrance, mounted 10–20 ft. Exact box dimensions →
- Clutch
- 2–18 eggs
- Incubation
- 29–34 days
- Nestling period
- 50–70 days
- Broods per year
- 1–3 per season
Timing shifts with latitude: nesting begins around January in Arkansas but not until December in Texas. Don't trim shrubs or clean boxes during those months.
Water, safety and patience
- A shallow bath (1–2 in deep) with a rough bottom, refreshed every 2–3 days; a dripper or heater makes it far more attractive in summer heat and winter freeze.
- Place feeders within 3 ft of windows or more than 30 ft away to cut window strikes, and keep cats indoors.
- Skip pesticides — most backyard birds feed insects to their nestlings, even seed-eaters.
- Give it time. New feeders and plantings can take days to weeks to be found; residents usually find a stocked yard first.
Frequently asked
What attracts barn owls to a yard?
Food they actually eat (none — a large barn-owl box on a pole or barn is the draw), native plants such as American elderberry, Black cherry, Flowering dogwood, clean water and suitable nesting cover: barn lofts, silos, tree cavities and large nest boxes.
What plants attract barn owls?
Across the Barn Owl's range, the native plants most often tied to it are American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), Black cherry (Prunus serotina), Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea), White oak (Quercus alba). Choose the ones native to your state.
When should I set up my yard for nesting barn owls?
Nesting starts around January in Arkansas and as late as December in Texas. Have cover, water and nest boxes ready a month before.
Sources
- Barn Owl — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Barn Owl life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Barn Owl — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.